Finding Another Gray Area In Life

In just over a week, I’ll have maintained this blog for three straight years. After quick calculation, taking out all the “Thought For The Day” posts, I discovered I’ve written over 930 original articles for it since the day I began writing for it. I’m actually totally amazed I’ve been able to do this given how many things I never used to follow through with in many of the previous chapters of my life. With that being said, I’ve realized I do need to approach my blog in a slightly different way moving forward and that’s to find a gray area and not push myself so much to find something to write on.

The truth is I’ve quite often found myself sitting in front of my computer lately saying ‘What the heck do I write about today?’ After all, having composed over 930 original articles that were at least 500 words long and some plenty more than that, has pretty much exhausted much of what I had always planned on including in my blog from the beginning. But for what started out as an online journal just under three years ago has definitely morphed into something far greater than I could ever have imagined back then. I’ve seen my Higher Power benefit a number of people through my experiences I’ve chronicled in here of which I’m extremely grateful for. And I must thank my Higher Power for the benefits I’ve gained from it as well because it’s helped me to keep going, even through the most difficult of trials and tribulations I’ve had to face.

Yet even in this light, I know I must change my approach slightly to maintaining this blog because ultimately I’ve pressured myself on more days than not to sit down in front of my computer and write something. That often tends to stress me out, which is something I don’t want to keep doing to myself thus I’ve decided I’m only going to write when I feel moved to write from here on out. And when I don’t feel moved, I’m just going to put more “Thought For The Day” entries out there.

To be honest, I’m actually pretty proud of myself for reaching this point, because normally I’d force myself to keep up a certain pace until I burned out completely and grew sick and tired of writing in my blog altogether. Thankfully I’m not there yet, or even close to there for that matter. But, this is something I feel is really important to address because it’s all about me finding another gray area in life instead of being that black and white person I’ve always been. The gray areas in life have often been hard to find and usually even harder to maintain for me, especially when I’ve been an all-or-nothing type of person for so long. But in this case, I see this one clearly and am already making strides to live within it.

So as 2016 begins to fully unfold, just know that when you see a short string or long string of “Thought For The Day” entries that it’s only me taking care of me, living in that gray area, and learning how to operate on a new level in my life, one that is most certainly important for the health of my spiritual journey in life…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

A Look Back And A Look Ahead

Well it’s the start of yet another new year, 2016, and I have to honestly say that time really does seem to fly the older I get. Now that 2015 has come and gone, I look back upon it with both frustration and gratitude. So how can that be possible? It’s quite simple actually.

The frustration is that I watched all of my dreams and aspirations remain sidelined due to all the mental, emotional, and physical issues I faced throughout the entire year. But yet as I say that in one breath, I can say in another I’ve also learned on my spiritual journey that even in the worst of frustrations I may ever experience in life like I did this past year, that gratitude can always be found. And in this case, I’m able to find that very thing in the fact that I stayed clean and sober from each of my former addictions and was more than vigilant on doing my best to serve the will of my Higher Power during 2015. That’s a far cry from plenty of former years where I tried to be my own Higher Power and couldn’t go a single day without living in some type of addiction.

And while it’s difficult to grasp why my Higher Power has had me go through so much trials and tribulations for so long, I still remain hopeful as I enter 2016, that this year will bring forth much greater peace, love, light, and joy from within me. I must say though that sometimes it’s quite hard to keep telling myself this, given how many years have already passed with me waiting for my health to return. Yet, even here I have much gratitude because I know there are plenty of people out there who have suffered far greater than I, for far longer of a time.

So as we all begin a new year together, I want each of you to know how truly grateful I am for all the prayers you have sent my way and for all the strength and guidance God has in turn gave me to keep on keeping on thus far. And while I may not know exactly where my ship is heading in 2016, I do know that as long as I keep on adjusting my sails to the wind that God continues to blow my way, I will be ok…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson